The death of Trayvon Martin transformed our tiny riverside town of Sanford, FL into a media magnet. The city was overrun with local, national and even international news organizations. National leaders like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson came to town. Before the shooting, we had to go to Atlanta to see a CNN truck. But in the last few weeks, it’s become a common occurrence to see one parked right there on 13th Street.
But soon, Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson and CNN will move on to the next case. Although we appreciate the attention this all brought to the injustices in Sanford, they all have to go home at some point. Some people criticize them for coming, saying they are all exploiting the tragic situation. There is even a sign on French Ave. saying Al Sharpton doesn’t speak for Sanford. But I’m grateful. If they wouldn’t have come here, Trayvon would have been just another dead black boy in Sanford. We here in town know there have been quite a few senseless and tragic deaths. But those all got ignored. That’s why many in Sanford are saying God used Trayvon to shine the light on Sanford.
But now what? Trayvon Martin was not the first black boy to fall victim to an unjust system. What will we do for the black boys who still live in Sanford? The ones who still walk these streets, viewed as suspicious. Our boys are profiled and sized up at a very early age, even at birth. We tell them to pull their pants up, speak good English and stay in school. However, the irony is that the profiling often begins in school.
When a little black boy walks into the classroom, the teacher has often formed an opinion of him before he says one word. Just like the walk Trayvon took from 7-Eleven to his stepmom’s house, the school system is a treacherous path that way too often leads to tragedy for black boys. They are more likely to be placed in remedial classes. They are more likely to be sent to the principal’s office. They are more likely to be suspended. They are more likely to drop out. They are more likely to find some criminal way to support themselves. They are more likely to go to jail. They are more likely to get the death penalty than anyone else. So black boys are way more likely to have their lives cut short by a bad education than by a racist vigilante.
Let’s rally together about that. Let’s march and protest and argue and discuss the system that is killing our boys. Let’s fight for them. We need them. They need us. We don’t have to wait for Rev. Sharpton to do this. If we want to change the criminal justice, educational, or political systems. We can do it. We can join together and make it happen. Enough little voices can have just as much power as one big voice. Here are a few ways to get started in Seminole County:
Register to vote or run for office.
Seminole County Supervisor of Elections
http://www.voteseminole.org
Go to government meetings.
Seminole County Commission
http://seminolecountyfl.gov/bcc
Seminole County School Board
http://www.scps.k12.fl.us/schoolboard/Home
Join civic organizations.
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
www.naacp.org
National Urban League
www.cful.org
Volunteer in a school.
Seminole County Dividends
http://www.scps.k12.fl.us/dividends/Home
